


Pearl

by lizardkid



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Compliant to either Star Trek TOS or AOS, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-29 15:57:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15732687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizardkid/pseuds/lizardkid
Summary: Jim has another one of his bright ideas, and it's Leonard who faces the consequences - as usual.





	1. Southern Charm

It was a damned ridiculous idea, quite frankly. Utterly absurd. Unreasonable. And, worst of all, Jim had to know how awful an idea it was – the smug bastard – but sadly, Leonard had officially exhausted his options.

_Why don’t you just ask Spock?_

Jim’s words echoed in his head, a resounding refrain that disturbed all the dusty cobwebs of self-doubt and anxiety Leonard kept so carefully hidden from view. _Just ask Spock_. Sure, fine, whatever – just ask the man who regarded him with barely concealed contempt. What an enjoyable evening that would be. _You’re a damn genius, Jim. What ever would I do without your wisdom?_

Leonard continued to mutter mental obscenities at his absent Captain right up until the moment he stood outside the First Officer’s quarters. The conversation with Jim had occurred the previous day, and despite his every forthcoming, Leonard could at least say he was less rash than his friend. Jim would’ve stormed Spock’s cabin immediately, but Leonard had at least slept on the idea. Granted, it hadn’t been very restful sleep, and it wasn’t as if he’d come to a satisfactory decision – but he was being rash about it a day later and could hide behind the pretence that he had considered it carefully.

But paralysing anxiety gripped his spine as he stared at the blank, closed door before him. With his arms clasped tightly behind his back, Leonard bounced on the spot, trying to shake the feeling. In his mind’s eye, he pictured Spock standing in the door way, impassive and austere, his expression impenetrable. The half-Vulcan had a way of making Leonard squirm beneath his heavy gaze, and already his skin pricked hot and angry at the mere thought of it. The words he had prepared began to slip from him suddenly, and Leonard began to flounder helplessly as his mind went blank.

No matter how he attempted to pose the question in his mind, it sounded wrong. Fumbling and awkward. Leonard hated it. It made him feel small and vulnerable, and he had no inclination toward Spock seeing such things in him.

Besides, Jim was delusional if he thought Spock would say yes to his proposal.

Anger and shame broiled in his gut at the thought of Spock’s rejection, red-hot and raw. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered, closing his eyes. With a twisted expression akin to a soundless snarl, Leonard spun on his heel to leave.

Caught utterly off-guard, it only took a couple of steps for him to crash into another blue-clad figure; tall, lanky, and unmistakable. “Spock!” Leonard yowled, sharp embarrassment heightening his preexisting hostility. There was a brief moment of satisfaction amongst the fury when he saw that Spock, too, had been surprised by the collision, his eyes widening as he stumbled backwards from the force of Leonard’s reeling. Spock settled almost immediately back into neutrality, though Leonard was sure he saw a flicker of disgruntlement.

“Given your ostensible surprise at my appearance outside my own quarters, I can only assume that your obscenity, despite not being intended to reach my ear, was aimed at me.” The half-Vulcan raised a pointed eyebrow at him, and Leonard attempted to swallow his indignation.

_Isn’t it always?_

“Obviously,” came the verbal response, and though Leonard intended it as an apathetic drawl, there was nothing apathetic about it.

Spock’s gaze roamed the walls thoughtfully before returning to his companion. “I see. May I ask what grievous offence I have caused that would provoke you to insult my mother in such a way?” Beneath the carefully arranged mask, Leonard knew Spock was hurt, and the realisation that he had inadvertently insulted Spock’s dead mother made the flame of anger turn to ashes in his mouth. What remained was guilt.

“Spock, I—It’s just a figure of speech, nothing personal. At least not against Amanda.”

Christ, he couldn’t even do irritation right – the thing that was second nature to him around Spock. Leonard’s heart sunk, and he wished it would drag him down into the ground.

Spock nodded once in the affirmative, though he did not look appeased. “I see. Then may I inquire as to what grievous offence I have caused that would provoke you to insult me in my absence?”

God, he was like a dog with a bone. Didn’t he know that Leonard had no good reason for loitering outside his cabin muttering to himself? At least, not one he could utter aloud. It took a short while of floundering for Leonard to respond, but when he did, it sounded ridiculous in his mouth. “No. You may not.” Idiot. It made him furious that Spock could so easily increase his penchant for pettiness to that of a child.

A shadow of confusion passed over Spock’s long, elegant features, his head cocking and his brow stretching even higher. “Then, will you allow me to pass, so that I may enter my quarters?” Leonard hadn’t even realised that he had been standing in the way of Spock’s door, and he scowled in response to the fact being pointed out. The tips of his ears coloured with warm sanguine, his eyes narrowing.

“Be my guest,” he responded dryly, taking an exaggerated step away from the door and holding his hand out with bowed invitation. Spock seemed predictably bemused by the display, which only fed Leonard’s satisfaction.

“Thank you, Leonard.” Spock stepped into the space he had just vacated and peered at him from beneath that horrendous hairline. Why were Vulcans so hung up on that godawful hairstyle? Leonard had half a mind to summon an insult about it there and then, but the other half of his mind was caught on the way Spock always said his name with such restrained tenderness. Either way, Spock was too quick for him – probably saw the brewing insult from a mile off. It was unsettling how well Spock knew him sometimes, and such a great irony. “I take it you do not wish to share your reason for being here.”

It was less of a statement than an invitation. Despite not being a question rhetorically, Spock’s intonation suggested that he intended it as such. How bloody illogical. If Leonard didn’t answer, Spock would go on to assume that he was correct, and Leonard had no intention of letting him know of his recalcitrance.

“Why—why on earth would you think that, Spock? What, you think I have something to hide?”

“You tell me, Doctor.”

Leonard’s nostrils practically flared at the daring, inquisitive tone. “Now look here, you elf-eared, bowl cut bastard—”

“I highly doubt insulting my appearance is an essential factor of your explanation. If you don’t mind, I’ve had quite enough of it for one day.” There was a pause while Spock’s raised hackles seemed to settle back down, and for the first time Leonard saw the tight, weary lines of exasperation around his eyes and the tense clench of his jaw. “Although, I suppose elf-eared is a more favourable substitute than your preferred use of hobgoblin. You’re not going soft, are you, Leonard?”

Spock’s teasing had more of a spiteful bite to it than usual, and Leonard found himself hurt by it for some reason. “On you? Never.” The half-Vulcan waited a few moments for Leonard to continue and, when he didn’t, turned to his door to door to let himself in. “Wait, Spock, listen—” Leonard began, his hand reaching out to Spock’s shoulder but allowing it to fall back to his side before Spock turned to cut him off.

“It is quite alright, Doctor.” It was sharp and sudden, but Spock soon let out a quiet huff of air and the fight looked to drain from him. “You don’t have to explain. I am not your mother, your Captain, your romantic partner, nor anyone else who might have a right to question where you go and why.”

A frown indented Leonard’s forehead, but amiable amusement lay beneath it. “Just my superior officer,” he commented, watching the dawning realisation on Spock’s face.

“Yes. Well. I am off-duty, and therefore have no interest in how or where you spend your time.”

Exhaustion framed Spock’s soft brown eyes with deep lines, and Leonard regretted his thorny attitude. It was not the first time, nor would it be the last. Cursing his lack of professionalism and failure to recognise the signs right in front of him, Leonard set aside his personal anxieties and reached out to Spock, clasping what he hoped would be a comforting hand on the terse shoulder. “Are you feeling okay?” he queried, keeping a close eye on the way Spock’s eyes fluttered shut at the contact. Damn half-Vulcans and their confusing physiology. Was it repulsion or relief that caused him to react in such a way? There was little hope of Spock clarifying either way.

“Yes. I will be perfectly fine once I’ve rested. Your concern is unnecessary.” It looked like it was taking every ounce of strength he had to stand upright. Leonard sighed in exasperation.

“Dammit, Spock,” he said quietly. “I’m a doctor. If I ain’t concerned, I ain’t doing it right.”

Was that a smile Leonard saw peeking through Spock’s austere veneer?

“I am aware of your profession. Might I suggest, however, that your concern be reserved for those who need it, rather than wasted on those who do not?”

Leonard was smiling now, despite himself. Damned selfless hobgoblins. “Is that an order?” he asked, aiming for friendly banter and somehow landing on coy flirtation. The eyebrow that had cocked of its own accord certainly didn’t help matters, but the look of earnest surprise on Spock’s face more than made up for it. At least, it might have, if it wasn’t a consequence of yet more embarrassment on Leonard’s behalf. “Uh, anyway. Why don’t you come by my office tomorrow for a quickie—” (God dammit.) “Quick look – look over – examination!” 

Spock’s bewilderment had settled into something more akin to glee, but he was still more interested in rest than rubbing Leonard’s idiocy in his own face.

“Check-up. Tomorrow. Be there,” he said, grimacing as he spun on his heel and began to stalk away from the scene, already trying to forget everything he’d said. Just when he had almost reached the end of the corridor and had turned his attention to his many trillions of responsibilities that were in no way Spock-related, a familiar voice dragged him right back into the fray.

“Is _that_ an order, doctor?”

Leonard’s brows shot to his hairline, his mouth slipping open in mortification. By the time he’d regained his composure enough to whirl around, the automatic doors had pressed shut with a definite _swoosh_ and the bastard had vanished like a hallucination.

_God dammit, Jim._


	2. More Bones?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard runs into Jim and Spock after dealing with an emergency.

Despite his instinct to be angry about it, Leonard could only muster confusion at the entire interaction. It was easier when he knew that Spock hated him. It hurt, of course, but Leonard was nothing if not a glutton for punishment. Everything he wanted was best kept at arm’s length. Self-flagellation was second nature to him now.

That was probably why he kept hanging around Jim. And Spock, too, for that matter.

Speak of the devil.

“—Captain? I hardly think—” Spock was saying as Leonard rounded the corner.

“Not now, Spock. We have more – Bones!”

“More…?” Spock began, no doubt attempting to parse the potential human phrase ‘more bones’, until realisation slapped him clean across the face and he pivoted on the spot. An eyebrow twitched as he regarded Leonard, gaze quickly dropping to his shoes and steadily climbing up his body. Despite knowing exactly why Spock was so concerned with his appearance, Leonard felt himself squirm at the scrutiny. “Ah – that Bones,” Spock said.

“In the flesh,” Leonard drawled, just as Jim clapped a hand on his shoulder, beaming at him.

“There you are,” Jim continued, ignoring the way his friends regarded one another. It wasn’t abnormal for Jim to greet him so enthusiastically, but Leonard was nevertheless suspicious. Perhaps he thought Leonard had already asked Spock – there was certainly something expectant in his shit-eating grin. “Spock’s been looking for you.”

The half-Vulcan in question visibly bristled at the words, and he tears himself away from glaring at Leonard to glare at Jim. “Captain, I don’t think asking you for information on his whereabouts constitutes—”

“He says you had a date,” Jim interrupted, steamrolling over Spock as though he hadn’t spoken.

Unable to see his face, which was turned toward Jim, Leonard could only imagine what facial expression Spock was pulling. It likely wasn’t too far from his usual composure, but Leonard would pay to see even the throb of a green-blooded vein on his forehead. Jim continued to beam innocently at the Vulcan in the middle until he looked to Leonard, as if to remind Spock of his existence.

“Captain, I am aware of your attempt to provoke me into an illogical reaction. I am, however, immune to your attempts, not only because I am a Vulcan, but also because they are about as believable as your commitment to the prime directive.”

Leonard shared an exasperated look with his captain before Spock shifted his focus and captured Leonard’s eye, no doubt preparing to describe in explicit detail why he would find a date with Leonard unappealing. He was not fast enough, though. “You’re telling me you _don’t_ consider a medical examination a date, Spock? And here I thought you were finally catching up with the complexities of human dating rituals.”

To his credit, Leonard felt a smidgen of guilt when Spock’s eyes widened infinitesimally, his gaze dropping as his brain attempted to discern the truth value of Leonard’s statement based on intonation, facial expression, and his previous interactions with humans. Mostly, though, he felt warm, gooey affection bubbling in his chest. By the look on Jim’s face, he felt it, too.

To save Spock the mental gymnastics, Leonard continued, “I’m joking, Spock.”

The science officer looked up with a rapid blink, his expression hardening. “I assumed as much. If it had been a date, you would have made it more obvious.” Spock paused again, doubt creeping into the lines on his forehead.

Behind him, Jim had to bite his lip to keep from bursting. “Alright, don’t hurt yourself,” Leonard mumbled, intended for Spock but more than applicable for Jim, too.

“In either case, you have not yet explained the reason for your absence. I waited twenty-three minutes in your office.”

“I, uh, had an urgent call from Scotty. One of his rookie engineer’s bit off more than she could chew and ended up with first-degree burns, but she’s in a stable condition now. The engine room was a bit of a – state.” Spock made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat as Leonard motioned to his oil-stained scrubs, dirty face, and tussled hair. “You know, you could have just commed.”

“There was no need for that, Doctor. It seemed likely you were absent due to a situation of higher importance taking priority. I did not want to distract you—”

Leonard could not refrain from mirroring Spock’s raised eyebrow, a smirk brightening his expression. “Is that so? Are you sure you weren’t hoping I’d forgotten?”

“A futile desire, Leonard, as we both know your fastidious ability to recall every inessential appointment surpasses that of every medical officer on board the Enterprise – perhaps even Starfleet.”

Well, that was just typical – Spock couldn’t even compliment him without using the backhand. “Contrary to your firmly held beliefs, Spock, I _am_ a competent doctor. I know the signs of exhaustion when I see them, full-blooded human or not. Jim, will you be needing Spock within the next half hour?”

“Exhaustion?” Jim responded instead, clearly a little further behind than the other two were.

“The doctor is hypothesising with limited evidence, Jim.”

“Hence the examination.”

The mischievous glint had vanished from Jim’s eyes, replaced with concern for his friend. “Why didn’t you say anything, Spock?”

“Captain, as I have just informed you, the evidence—”

“Don’t you think I ought to know if my second-in-command is—”

“Jim, I assure you, it is not a matter of urgency.”

Spock’s words were taught and frayed at the edges. They were one end of the rope that he and Jim currently held, neither willing to let go. Leonard was not particularly interested in watching the two of them play tug-of-war over Spock’s health, not when they both had that glint in their eyes: indignation.

Leonard exhaled a substantial sigh, eyes rolling in their sockets. “Gentlemen, this is getting us nowhere,” he announced. “Come on, Spock.” It was the tone he used with Joanna sometimes, firm and unwavering. The half-Vulcan would be getting a medical check-up whether he liked it or not, and that was that. Leonard was the Chief Medical Officer god dammit, and his orders meant something around here.

Luckily, Spock did not argue. While he and Jim maintained their eye contact for a few moments more, Spock eventually broke it by turning on his heel and striding down the hallway toward the turbolift. Leonard and Jim watched the way he moved – his head slightly bowed, his back rigid as a pole, and his hands clasped white behind his back – with identical concern. Trying to get Spock to put his health before his job was like extracting blood from a stone, and Leonard was not a geologist. He was a—

“Bones,” Jim said, dejected. Leonard cast a glance in his direction, taking in the forlorn look on his face with a scowl.

“And I’m not a damn babysitter either,” he muttered to himself, eyes returning to the corner that Spock had rounded at the end of the corridor.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

“Bones—”

“I know, Jim.” It was hard to look at Jim when he was being earnest, so he didn’t. It tore a hole right through Leonard to think that one of these days, he might not live up to Jim’s expectations of him. “I’ll sort it.” Ever the skilled bluffer, he sounded far more confident than he felt. The thought of failing Jim tugged firmly at him, leading him down the corridor toward the turbolift, not giving Jim the chance to speak again.

They were as bad as one another. What Jim and Spock had still failed to realise was that the three of them functioned best as one unit, and there was no room for selflessness amongst them.

_Not that I’m much better_ , he thought to himself. But at least he was trying, dammit.

“Spock,” he called, when he rounded the corner and saw his friend already situated in the turbolift. The half-Vulcan had seen Leonard before the doctor had even opened his mouth, though, and his finger darted to the interface to delay the doors closing. Leonard half-jogged the rest of the way, though he knew Spock had the patience of a saint, and by the time had reached Spock, he was panting lightly. Making a face, Leonard swiped at his forehead with the back of his hand, smearing the sweat and engine grease.

Spock quirked a sharp eyebrow at the sight, watching Leonard as he moved into the lift beside him and then forcing his gaze to snap forward again. The doors slid shut on Leonard’s command, and without missing a beat, Spock intoned, “Perhaps it’s you who ought to have the routine physical examination, Doctor.”

Leonard did not even bother concealing his groan.

**Author's Note:**

> shout out to mitski's new album for making me sad enough to write this and carmen on the star trek discord for the prompt ("How about they go on a date but like it’s not a date and it’s super classy like the opera or a real fancy dinner but neither of them are all to posh but they try their best to impress one another"). I'll get to the rest of it once we've powered through the angst and EARNT a cute date!


End file.
